Fiber optic cables are widely used to transmit light signals for high-speed data transmission. A fiber optic cable typically includes: (1) an optical fiber or optical fibers; (2) a buffer or buffers that surrounds the fiber or fibers; (3) a strength layer that surrounds the buffer or buffers; and (4) an outer jacket. A typical optical fiber includes an inner core surrounded by a cladding that is covered by a coating. Buffers (e.g., loose or tight buffer tubes) typically function to surround and protect coated optical fibers. Strength layers add mechanical strength to fiber optic cables to protect the internal optical fibers against stress applied to the cables during installation and thereafter. Outer jackets provide protection against damage caused by crushing, abrasions, and other physical damage, as well as chemical damage (e.g., ozone, alkali, acids).
Fiber optic networks include a plurality of fiber optic cables. Often times in these fiber optic networks, the fiber optic cables require terminations. One type of termination frequently used is a mechanical splice. As is well known to those skilled in the art, a mechanical splice is a joint created between two optical fibers of a fiber optic network wherein the optical fibers are aligned by a mechanical means. Typically, a field termination uses a pre-terminated, optically polished connector having an optical fiber that was cleaved and inserted into one end of a mechanical alignment splice. This optical fiber is normally cleaved in a clean and controlled environment. The optical fiber that is inserted into the other end of the mechanical alignment splice, however, is typically terminated in the field.
It is desirable in fiber optic networks that the amount of optical power lost through the network is minimized. As mechanical splices are often included in a fiber optic network, the optical power lost through these splices should be minimized to have an optimal system. One reason for optical power losses in mechanical splices is the inclusion of a “fiber lip” on one of the end faces of the optical fibers being coupled. As will be described in more detail subsequently, a fiber lip is located on the outer circumference of the end face of an optical fiber and is often the result of a poor cleave. If a fiber lip is present on an end face of an optical fiber, poor alignment between that end face and an end face of another optical fiber will result. This poor alignment will in turn result in increased optical power losses through that splice.
Another reason for optical power losses in mechanical splices is due to contamination on the end faces of the optical fibers. If the end faces of the optical fibers have contaminants, including but not limited to dirt, dust, or glass particles or fibers, these contaminants will disturb the light being transmitted through the optical fiber and/or potentially scratch the end face of the fiber.
As optical power loss is critical, field methods are frequently used to determine the effectiveness of the mechanical splice. These field methods determine the effectiveness of the mechanical splice by the amount of light that passes through the mechanical splice. One problem with these field methods, however, is that these methods require the optical fiber end that was terminated in the field to be inserted into the mechanical splice in order for the quality of the field termination to be determined. If the field termination is of poor quality, the mechanical splice, in which the poor quality field termination was inserted, may be damaged, thereby making a low optical power loss splice impossible.